I was wondering what people's experiences have been with sugar free candy, such as gummy bears, and with low carb pasta like Dreamfields. I had some of the latter recently and it tasted too good to be true. Is it? I'm wondering the same thing about sugar free gummy bears, etc. Have things like that helped others stay on track with their diet by offering low carb alternatives to favorite foods, or are they gimmicks with 'hidden carbs'?

It depends on the substitute ingredient being used. Candy is typically maltitol which is definitely not zero calorie or zero carb--some people report glucose readings equal to a similar amount of straight sugar. The pasta/bread/tortilla things are still mostly wheat so I steer clear of those since wheat does some dubious things apart from the carb load.

I agree that scratching an itch for a high-carb food is an important tool to have in the drawer, but it's probably best to make it from scratch since at the end of the day we really don't know what's in the commercial packages.

My "candy" is coconut butter melted, embellished, and chilled in a miniature tart pan. My "pasta" is either shirataki or julienne zucchini, and other bread products can be made from nut/seed flour or nut/seed butter. A treat is still a treat and I don't expect it to be slimming, but at least I know what went into it.

I love Dreamfields, I have not had any BS problems with this pasta...You have to cook it exactly per the directions...It's delicious!! The gummies are another thing...most sf candy is made with malitol and while all those candies really do taste like what the are imitating, say the peanut butter cups or the peppermint patties, most of us have a bad reaction to them. Potty issues to name a few! Just wanted to add about the pasta, it has helped me be able to stay lc and feel like I can have lasagna or angel hair pasta like everybody else and still lose weight.

There are a few people who can eat that stuff and do fine. It doesn't seem to spike their blood sugar or give them cravings or give them the runs. Or set them on the road to ruin, gaining back all their weight and more.

Most other people - not so lucky. You might need to test it to find out. But go slow.

The only frankenfood I eat are Atkins bars and the most I will eat is 1 in a 24 hour period. UNLESS I am in desperate straits - like stuck on a girl scout campout with no control over the food. Then, I spent a weekend eating them. Seemed a better choice than totally falling off the wagon.

The most consistent way to lose weight low carbing is by eating regular, real food with the least amount of commercial processing.

I personally have no problem with Dreamfields. I am not a huge pasta eater to start with so it is easy for me to cook the recommended serving size, eat it, and be done with it when I want the occasional pasta dish. (I just make regular pasta for the rest of the family).

The candy - too much malitol WILL give you tummy issues, I can promise THAT is not a YMMV thing I personally cannot eat just 1-2 pieces. I will eat the whole dang bag and then I am sorry. So I stay away from it.

I know it's not the answer you want but you just have to try each of the items and see how they work with you.

__________________

*~*A year from now you will wish that you started today.*~*
*~* A goal is a dream with a deadline. *~*
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

I had Dreamfields for dinner tonight. I am a diabetic (almost 20 years). I did a finger stick before dinner and again several hours after dinner...no change. It's never affected my blood sugar. I also checked a keto stick...it stayed purple. I have a SF candy occasionally but am careful with them. I have trouble stopping with just one.

__________________
Worrying does not empty tomorrow of it's troubles. It empties today of it's strength.

I have never tried the dreamfieldspasta but I have had the sugar-free candy with out any problems weight gain or stalling problems, like the others have said you have to use portion control with them or you will end up chained to the toliet LOL

I don't bother with pasta or bread substitutes because I don't really miss them and I am quite happy with cauli mash or cauli rice. But I do like to have some sweet treats to hand - I have a range of Atkins day break/advantage/endulge bars which I like and will have maybe twice a week. In addition I make fat bombs using various nut butters, cocoa, sweeteners etc and I have various da vinci syrups for flavouring coffee but I have also found that whipping a little double cream and adding a few drops makes for a great little dessert. So I do find ways of using whole foods to make treats but I also believe that low carb products have their place and they don't cause any craving/stalling issues for me personally.

My Fiance is type 1 diabetic and dreamfields works fine... BUT.. you have to cook it for the time it says.. if you over cook it.. his BS will rise.. we have tested it almost every time we cook it.. and it never fails if i let it over cook on accident.. up his BS goes.. it is a great way to stay low carb but still get some of your favorite foods and not feel guilty about it. I am curios to how the lasagna noodles they have works.. because it takes way more then 8mins to cook that dish! My stores do not carry it so never actually looked at box.. but all the other types is 7-9 mins varrying..

I am also a diabetic and Dreamfields is kind to my blood sugar. I cook it 2 minutes less than the time stated on the box and it always comes out perfect. I have heard that if you reheat it, that takes away the low carb properties.

i make it exactly according to box directions, and stayed to portion limits. However, i have little or no control over the sugar free candies, and other FRANKENYUMMIES, so i must avoid them, for a while/a long while. Love & Profits: FLATFERENGHI

i make it exactly according to box directions, and stayed to portion limits. However, i have little or no control over the sugar free candies, and other FRANKENYUMMIES, so i must avoid them, for a while/a long while. Love & Profits: FLATFERENGHI

I have one small piece of SF candy several times a week. I can tolerate the Russel Stover ones, but things like Twizzlers make me gain and make my bs go up. Dreamfields I have only very very very occasionally. I think the key is probably moderation. We used to have pasta at least once a week before low carb. I shudder to think of all the years I fed my family that non-nutritious stuff.

__________________Lori

"We're all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." ~ Oscar Wilde

First goal: Onederland - reached Dec. 2012
Next goal: 180s (not been there in 15 years!)
Final goal: 155 (within the healthy range for 5'7")

I am NOT diabetic, but I have eaten Dreamfields for years. It tastes wonderful and I have never had any problems with stalls or weight gains. I have (and still do) eat it while on Induction. I can eat Shirataki's if I am DESPERATE, but I much prefer Dreamfields.

The main thing about this diet is figuring out what will work for YOU. Some people love coconut oil coffee. I hate coffee, so that won't work for me. Some love their Da Vinci syrups, I have tried them and I don't like the taste at all. You can follow a book, but there will still be a lot of trial and error and finding what works for you. So just be prepared to try a lot of things and realize that some of them will end up in the trash. Just goes with the territory.

Thanks for all the information and experience with the Dreamfieldspasta. I bought some and thought that it was absolutely amazing and probably too good to be true.
Having the diabetic information from FSBS after eating this pasta helps me to proceed with this pasta in moderation, sticking to the instruction on the box and to make small amounts with no leftovers to reheat.
Thanks again.

Also, the Dreamfields company warns that if you reheat leftovers it can break down the pasta to a form that your body can absorb the carbs and spike blood sugar. They also warn against leaving the pasta to soak in an acidic sauce, because that can also break down the pasta enough to where your body can absorb the carbs and spike blood sugar.

I don't eat the dreamfields - I tried it once and I didn't like the texture. I prefer zucchini noodles made with my Spirooli. I do eat the sugar free Russell Stover candy. I was forewarned, before I ever had a single piece, that it could cause EXTREME gastric distress if you ate too much. I've never experienced it for myself because I never eat more than one or two pieces at a time. I just looked back at my food tracker, and I've had 6 pieces in the last 4 weeks. I have no problem stopping at one piece - it doesn't cause cravings or stalls for me. If any of those variables were different - I wouldn't allow it in the house.

I have a question about dreamfieldspasta: I was looking at the ingredients and the nutritional information, and I saw *nothing* different from several other brands, even the carbohydrate count per *weight* was the same, and it came to something like 28g per serving less dietary fiber. Am I missing something? I ate the stuff once and it gave me nightmarish stomach cramps.